together, let us explore the stars. he changed his mind pretty quickly after the soviet union launched its first human into orbit in april 1961 within weeks sector a defense mcnamara and nasa administrator webb had presented him with a report recommending a program to land an american on the moon before the cds -- before the soviets did. they argued that dramatic achievements in space symbolized the technological power of a nation. and although such achievements may be economically justified the use should pursue space projects aimed at enhancing national prestige recognizing that competition in space was part of the battle along the fluid front of the cold war. for a competitor like kennedy, a race to the moon was the ultimate competition and he embraced it. he gave a nationally televised address to a joint session of congress in 1961. he compared the exploration of space to export like lewis and clarke, and said that we would land a man on the moon by the end of the decade. but over the next to your skin to be remain